Views of Vitality Series - Franklin Grove Church of the Brethren
Franklin Grove is also home to the Franklin Grove Church of the Brethren, a congregation that has been in existence and committed to faithful and fruitful ministry for 168 years. Like the highway that runs through this town connecting east to west, the Franklin Grove congregation strives to connect people to God by adhering to and living out the denominational tagline, “Continuing the work of Jesus. Peacefully. Simply. Together.”
The congregation has tried several approaches for reaching out to people in the community, including having a movie night and bringing in Barbershop singers, both events being opportunities to connect with each other and the neighborhood. Results were less than hoped for, yet the effort to be invitational indicates that the congregation continues to follow God’s call upon their lives.
An ongoing community outreach is the annual pancake breakfast. People from the community come to the meetinghouse to enjoy delicious food and at the same time receive a glimpse of the congregation’s work ethic. It is no small task to flip pancakes and fry sausage for a community of people, but the Franklin Grove COB folks persevere showing their willingness to give of themselves for others. Besides giving their energy, the congregation gives away the proceeds from the breakfast. The past 2 years, monies from this event were given to the local public school to assist children in need. The Franklin Grove congregation is quickly gaining a reputation within the school system as a church that cares.
Involvement with the school system continues to evolve. Several members of the congregation are now signed up to help with mentoring elementary school students. A few members will also begin attending the monthly Parent/Teacher Council meetings; and there is conversation taking place about other avenues of involvement and mission with the schools and within the community.
Pastoral leadership for the Franklin Grove congregation is provided by licensed minister Matt Rittle. Matt brings a level of energy and enthusiasm to lead the congregation in becoming more and more missional in body, mind, and spirit, adding a new layer of fruitfulness to the existing attractional model of doing church. Rittle says, “‘Attractional ministry’ counts success by how many they have attracted. ‘Missional ministry’ measures success by every seed planted and watered in the lives of those they interact with on a given day...Rather than bring people in to make disciples, we make disciples wherever we are at—every day. Kingdom building becomes our chief concern, for we are all the Bride of Christ together...and we are all deeply loved by a God who pursues intimacy with everyone.” (from the Franklin Grove Monthly Messenger, Nov/Dec 2013 issue, the Franklin Grove COB newsletter)
The Franklin Grove congregation continues to discern their way forward, striving always to stay on the long road, not of success, but of faithfulness and fruitfulness. They know it’s a challenging journey for a small congregation in a small, rural community. But they persevere. And as the Apostle Paul writes: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:1-5, NIV)
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